OP here. I do absolutely realize that candidates getting rejected and then getting an offer later is... well, not quite the "definition", but it's a sign of a f

OP here. I do absolutely realize that candidates getting rejected and then getting an offer later is... well, not quite the "definition", but it's a sign of a flaws in a process. However, you don't scrap the buggy program if there's not a better replacement; you fix the program. And you don't scrap this interview process if the alternatives are even worse.